Love: The Escape Artist
by AriesZombieReBornBalorPrincess
Summary: Rory took a job in Boston over the Obama Campaign. She kept herself immersed in work. The past, didn't stay the past as she finds that she can't stop thinking about how stuff played out with Jess. A romance novel finds its way to her and she's shocked to see who the author is. Jess is trying to make up for running out on the love he shouldn't have left behind.
1. Chapter 1

**I really own nothing except for the plot of this story. Everything else belongs to the rightful owner. In order for things to work the way I needed them to, I've had to change things, so if they happen to be wrong in real life, I'm sorry, but it just needed to be done this way. I know Christmas is still a few weeks away but...**

**Merry Christmas, guys.**

**I hope you all like this one. **

**Enjoy!**

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><p><em>"It doesn't remind me of anything. It's not a rip-off. It's just you," Rory praised, a smile sitting softly on her light pink lips.<em>

_"High praise, miss Yale editor," he smirked, gliding them across the floor to sit._

_"Yeah, well, I don't get to write as much as I would like, I'm mostly assigning and motivating, hand-holding, and rewriting," she confessed, using both of her hands to hold Jess' book firmly in her lap. Suddenly feeling very nervous._

_"Yeah, and you love it, every minute of it. Come on, tell me you don't," he bantered, a certain smile sitting on his lips, making her heart skip._

_"I do. I do love it. It's exciting," she admitted a pink tint glossing over her cheeks._

_"Yeah, you look happier than when I saw you last." She nodded along with his words._

_"I am," she told him, tucking her hair behind her ears._

_"So you fixed everything?" He asked, nodding his own head._

_"Yeah, everything's fixed," she agreed, her blue eyes becoming locked with his brown ones._

_"I'm glad you're here," he confessed, his hand resting upon her knee._

_"Yeah, me too," she agreed, watching as he leaned in, their lips meeting like the first time in years. Everything about that one kiss, brought so much love, but so much more turmoil._  
><em>...<em>

_"If I could, I'd also like to say a few words about my girlfriend of the past three years. You amaze me, Rory Gilmore, every day - everything that you do, everything that you are," Logan confessed looking a little nervous. With the Champagne that had been served, Rory was feeling the effects of it when she let a few giggles out. "This past year, I realized that I don't know a lot more than I thought I knew, if that makes sense. I'm a little bit nervous. I didn't think I would be. What I'm trying to say is that... I don't know a lot. But I know that I love you... and I want to be with you... forever." Rory looked down, as the crowded room let out little sighs of love. "Rory Gilmore... ...will you marry me?"_

_"Um... um, wow. Um, wow. I - wow." She honestly didn't know what to say to him. _

_'Come on Rory, you know he isn't the one for you. You don't love him, you can't love him, you know this.' She closed her eyes, willing Jess' voice out of her head. But that voice, she knew it was right. He was always right._

_"Is there a "yes" in between those "wows"?" Logan asked._

_"Um, I'm just… I'm so...surprised. I-I just - um, would - um... w-will you come talk to me outside?" She asked._

_..._

_"Let's do that again, Rory. Let's jump."_

"Jenny is out on maternity leave, early." Lewis brought her back to reality. It seemed as of late she had thought about both Jess and Logan a lot. "Who would have thought that babies could come a month early?" Lewis asked, dropping a book on Rory's desk. "With your love of books, and great detail to tear things a part, you get the job while Jenny is out. Enjoy, Rory." She stopped her work, picking the book up.

She was slowly working her way up. For the past 6 months she had been working at the Boston Herald. She had actually helped Jenny out, when she had more books than she could read in a year. Reading the book was by far better than dealing with the same human interest story, she had been given for the second time, because something else had come up._ Love: The Escape Artist._ She was shocked to see the name that came with the book. The name she hadn't expected to be on a romance novel, ever.

"Jess Mariano," she whispered, with a soft chuckle. Her first instinct was to call him and mock him just a little, but she didn't have his number so she couldn't do that. Sighing she leaned back in her chair, opening the book.

**This book is for the love we all have stupidly let escape our grasp. Without that love, we might just be stranded in life, missing who we are meant to be. This book is for you, for showing me I was more than some messed up kid. Love, it doesn't judge you; neither do you. Thank you for believing in me and for loving me, when I was being stupid.**

Was he talking about her? Of course he was, who else could he be going on about? She asked herself chewing her lip. Finally she decided this book was definitely for her. She couldn't imagine Jess letting any other love walk away from him. She turned the pages coming to the first chapter. She was still trying to overcome the initial shock that Jess had written a romance novel. The one guy that hated a sappy romance story. They always ended the same.

Half way through the book, she had put the book down to stretch her sore muscles in her back, when she realized just how late it truly was. She packed her things up and started on her 20 minute journey home. Parking her car she rushed in to get some Chinese food, before the last few blocks to her apartment.

With a box of food in hand and the book, she got settled on her couch to finish reading the book. A few tears had escaped when she got to the end.

**It's better to have loved and lost then never have loved. Such a load of bull. I would have never loved her if I knew I was only going to lose her. Not even an ounce of hope can being her back. So I have lost not just a love, or a part of me, no I've lost more than that. I've lost myself, I can only think that she had lost herself, so that way we can unite; we can be found in a world of lost souls, swimming in the deep.**

She didn't care that it was way after midnight, tomorrow was Saturday and she had nothing planned until later in the day when she would talk to her mom. She moved to make a fresh cup of coffee, ready to write-up her review on his book. Wouldn't it be better to have quotes from the author? She did have an in with him after all. With a quick search, she found that Jess would be in Boston tomorrow. She'd surprise him, that was for certain.

After making a few notes on the book, and drinking her cup of coffee, she set her alarm not wanting to over sleep and miss Jess, she went to bed with a new smile on her face.

She had been up hours before her alarm was to go off. With a few hours asleep, she felt like she had gotten a full nights sleep and she had yet to have any coffee. Which was rare in its self. She shrugged at the thought making sure she had everything.

She should have expected the huge turn out, but she didn't. She stood back watching him talk to each person that came up to him. It amazed her to see how much he changed. She could still picture the monosyllabic boy who hated people. Today he wore a smile that wasn't even a hint of fake in it, his brown eyes sparked under the fluorescent lights. He looked good, she noted that nothing about him had changed since she saw him last; the day that had been playing in her head on repeat the last few days.

She had stayed in the back of the bookstore, waiting for everyone to clear out. She needed more than a few minutes to talk to him and she didn't want to take up all his time when he had plenty of fans to entertain.

"Fancy seeing you here. Even more surprised when this romance novel found its way to my desk," Rory said, coming to stand in front of the table he now had his back to.

"I was wondering when I would run into you," he smirked, turning around, melting Rory's insides.

"Here I am," she told him, a rosy pink tinting her cheeks.

"Here you are."

"Yep." It was always the same between them. Things taking the turn for awkward. Everything she wanted to ask was now out the window. Her brain freezing up on her.

"Huh. You like this book as much as the first one?" Jess asked then, the quiet being too much for him. He had a million questions running through his head. He knew things with Logan never panned out, Luke had let it slip out, on one of their weekly conversations. Even now he could see that she wasn't married or even engaged, he was curious to know if she had a boyfriend.

"The first book, it was very you. This book despite it being romance, it was still you. To lose a love...yeah, I liked it. The ending, it was different," she told him. "In a good way. But why romance?"

"Why do we do anything?" He asked, making Rory shrug. "You busy? I haven't eaten since like 6 this morning." Now that Jess mentioned it, she realized it had been that long since she last ate.

"I'm free until tonight," she informed him.

"You have a hot date or something?" He asked. He didn't realize how painful that had sounded.

"Or something," she told him. "I've got to call Mom and confirm Christmas plans in two weeks."

"Luke had mentioned something about that, I just wasn't sure if I could make it." Rory knew that wasn't the meaning behind his words. He really didn't know if he should come because of everything that has happened between them.

"You should come, it would nice to have you there," Rory told him, meaning exactly that.

"I just might," he told her, slipping his coat on. Rory as well bundled up once again for the cold weather that awaited them.

"I don't have to worry about some dick head, finding us and telling me how little I know, do I?" Her asked holding the door to a little café that was across the street. She knew what he was getting at.

"No, I haven't dated since I turned Logan down. I don't have to worry about these fan girls, do I?" She fired right back, Jess getting the hidden message.

"No, I've kept myself pretty busy, locked away to write. I haven't had much of a social life, less than before."

"That doesn't shock me, because it's just..."

"Me," he finished for her.

"You," she confirmed with a smile.

Rory was amazed at how fast her work week went. She had finished the article on Jess and his book, her editor loving the extra facts she had gotten. She had even got Jess' opinion on the article, not wanting to upset him with what she wrote. But Jess had loved it, knowing that Rory was the one person to really put her feelings behind this article. By Friday she was ready to head home for Christmas with her mom on Tuesday. She still never got a real answer from Jess on whether he would be there. She found that part of her wanted him to show up.

"Oh sweets," Lorelai gushed, hugging the life from her daughter.

"Can't breath," Rory choked out, hugging her mom, happy to be back home. She wasn't able to make it back for Thanksgiving, so it had been months since they had been together.

"Sorry, just excited. I have a coffee pot filled with fresh coffee and a whole house ready to be decorated." She loved the fact her mom waited for her to be home, but she really wanted to relax after her long drive home. But she would suck it up and have fun with her mom.

After several pots of coffee and the house nearly decorated, the Gilmore girls found themselves passed out on the couch in the wee hours of the morning.

Smelling the luscious coffee brewing and the frosted mixed berry pop tarts Rory started to stir. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and joined her mom in the kitchen.

"I do have to go in for the morning at the inn." Rory nodded. That would give her the time she needed to stop over and see Lane and the twins.

"I'll be fine, I did live here once," Rory retorted, breaking a piece of her pop tart off.

"I should be back around 1, I'll call if I'm going to be any later." Rory nodded, letting her mom go get ready. Grabbing her cup of steaming hot coffee, Rory made her way into her old room. She sat on her bed thinking about all the times Jess had been in there. She smiled seeing Howl was laying on her dresser. It was one of the few books she didn't have room to bring with, so she left it, knowing she would need something to read when she came back to visit.

With a very quick stop at Lane's she learned that the twins were with Mrs. Kim and Lane was at Luke's, picking up an extra shift. The girls played a game off catch up while she worked, always making sure Rory's cup was filled with coffee. She wanted to confess about Jess but she had nothing worthy of saying.

The days had passed with laughter and coffee. Things were good. Rory was left wondering if Jess would show. She was left questioning if she really wanted him to.

After Christmas dinner, served by Luke, with no sign off Jess, which Rory found upset her a great deal. She had fun with him in Boston and was looking forward to seeing him again. Maybe he was right about them being just what it is. Though this time she was ready to jump in and be with him. They'd figure things out. She thought he was at the same point, but she guessed wrong. It was easy to slip outta the house, when Lorelai and Luke were having their banter fest in the kitchen. She walked to the bridge, enjoying the Christmas lights along the way. She stopped short seeing the figure standing in the middle of the bridge looking out over the water. The snow slowly starting to fall around them.

"I didn't think you would rather freeze then eat," she remarked, walking the short distance to him. "You were invited by two people."

"I made a mistake," he told her, his eyes never leaving the water his voice holding no emotion. Rory said nothing, watching him. The worst ran through her hearing those words. "I didn't let the love of my life escape, or even get away. I ran away from her, because I was a failure, she didn't think so, she thought so much of me."

"She still does," Rory told him, finally able to see his face, not that he let any emotion take over his face. "You know they say, miracles happen on Christmas," she told him, placing her hands on his arms.

"Huh," he remarked leaning down to capture her lips. Every cell in her body was on fire, she moved closer, needing more of her drug of choice. Jess.


	2. Chapter 2

** A handful of people wanted more with this story. Here's a little Valentine's treat. I really don't know if there will be more or not. I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

**I should've placed a disclaimer on the first chapter, but I don't own Gilmore Girls or anything related.**

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><p>She had thought things would've changed between them. What they had shared on Christmas was special. They had even went out for New Years, but since that night she barely heard from Jess. She'd call and if on rare occasion he did answer, he would apologize saying he was crazy busy with things and he was exhausted. Of course she'd believe him, because he was on a crazy work schedule with his book and it was wrapping up within a few days before Valentines day. He had promised that he'd be there and they could finally figure things out from Christmas. But Rory was having her doubts. She had very right, as it was Valentines day and love was in the air, for everyone but her.<p>

On her days off it was custom for Rory to sit in the back at her local coffee shop, reading a book. Since the book found its way to her, thanks to the mysterious universe pulling in favor of them, it seemed. She couldn't get enough of _his_ book. The first book had pulled her in with just the beauty that it was Jess on every page she read. Jess and romance, it didn't belong together, but he made it work with very little effort and it was beautiful and touching and she was happy that she had been his muse. Because he had been hers, even if no one but her knew that.

"Fancy running into you here." She knew that voice anywhere, looking up from her book she looked up to be met with his brown sparkling eyes. Blood rushed to her cheeks, knowing she just got caught reading his book, again. He held up a coffee, which Rory was thankful for. He sat down with a tea of his own, after removing his jacket.

"Leather no longer your friend?" She asked, daring to take a walk through memory lane. How she longed for the bitter sent of leather mixed with cigarette smoke to fill her senses. Now his jacket was that of wool. She imaged just how warm it was or how soft it would be cuddled into his side on a freezing night. Did he still smoke? She couldn't remember if he had the two previous encounters or not.

"It wouldn't work. I'm not that messed up 17-year-old kid any longer." The words lingered in the air, making both parties tense up. "Our past, it's..." the words died on his lips. Rory took a shaky breath, composing herself.

"What makes us, us. We did things, how we thought they needed to be done and it may have been wrong, but that wrong turned out to be right. It made you realize that you do anything," she paused, holding the book up. "It took me longer to realize that I could step out of this mold everyone but you had for me." She didn't have time to hold things back. If they were going to move forward in this relationship, that was starting to blossom between them again, it all needed to be aired.

"I never saw it like that before," he admitted, looking down, taking the time to think his words over. He messed up, she messed up. Couldn't they just move on from that. Sorry had been said, he forgave her that night before she ran out the door back to Logan. He must have done something right for karma to be playing it cool, shoving Rory Gilmore back into his life. This was his last chance to make things right with her. He would do anything for her, because with each year that passed him by he turned into a sap. The last month and a half he'd been figuring out ways to make everything up to her. There was only one thing he could do. Prove himself. "I don't want to dwell on our past. It brought us together and we have fond memories, and the bad, but Rory," he paused, mixing brown with blue, gaining her full attention. "we are not those people, anymore. We've changed, we've grew up. I honestly think it is time we move on from them. Start over the best we can keeping the good because that bad, it isn't us. Not anymore. You know this, right?"

Did she know that? Starting over, it sounded like they were taking the cowards way out. But in reality, it was the right thing to do. He had been right about it all. Why dwell on the things they couldn't control now? It was all best left in the past. But her biggest fear with Jess, happened to be trust. Could she forget her trust issues with him, to start anew? "I want to Jess, so badly," she told him. The words that were to come next sat on her tongue stinging her.

"But," Jess spoke, bringing her focus back on him. "You can't restore your trust in me," he stated, forgoing the question. Trust was a tricky little thing that needed to be there.

"Yes," she simply replied. "I want to trust you, just like I see you want to trust me. But it isn't that easy. The most we can do is try to rebuild that trust going forward. Because walking away from you and what we share, would be the stupidest mistake in my life, and the one thing I would regret the most. I'm fully on board with this," she told him with a smile that brought a certain sparkle to her already dazzling blue eyes.

"That's the best thing I've heard all day," he whispered, drinking in the coffee taste that was Rory Gilmore. She was disappointed the kiss was short but stunned with the taste of mint that had built on her tastes buds. That awful taste of smoke long gone. Mint was by far a better taste for him.

It amazed her how easily they had walked through the market, getting things for a dinner. One they were going to make themselves together. Simply so Jess could see first hand that she can cook, and doesn't rely on take out, like she had growing up. Jess surprised her by buying her flowers when her back was turned. He wrapped his arm around from behind, kissing her cheek, presenting her with the flowers.

"I don't see people so in love, like the two of you. I've lived long enough to see the power that love has on us. Don't let it go," the aging lady, told them, waving the fee for the colorful bouquet. "Your love is enough." They had thanked her, but protested. The money for the flowers, Jess placed in her tip jar.

Once inside Rory's apartment, they had moved around the kitchen like they've been doing it for years. Effortlessly they stepped around the other person, while staying out of the way. Rory had left him once to handle everything, to set the table, adding candles to add more of romantic feel to it.

"I'm moving to Boston. I can write from anywhere and being close would be ideal to work on us. I've been thinking about it for weeks now." Rory sat shocked that he had put that much thought into this before he even knew she would agree.

"It's for the best," she responded, with a small smile.

This time, things would work out. Neither one wanted to fail at this last chance on true love. Jess was ready to work hard at keeping Rory in his life. Rory was ready to do the same.


End file.
